Sony HAP-ZIES HDD player is it only 16bit 320kbps native playback ?


Hello Friends

I need your help / advice.. My Sony HapZies HDD player when connected to external DACS (MYTEK Brooklyn Dac or Chord Dave) with usb cables WireWorld Platinum Silver or Audioquest Diamounds keep showing 16bit 320kbps on display.

Regardless of the source recording being encoded at 32 bit 384khz / 24 bit 192 the Dacs display always shows 16 bit 320kbps. When I play the same formats from PC to these DACS via the same cable it shows the true resolution of these formats.

So it leads me to believe that the Sony is playing out the digital material in its standard format 16bit 320kbps via usb into DACS.

This is a bummer to me really If it is down sampling all hi rez formats to a lower 16bit 320kbps and outputting the same via usb to DACS.

I also noticed when I switch on DSD encoding, the DACs still display 16bit 320kbps only. It makes no sense calling this unit a hi rez hdd player.

However I love the sound of the Sony hdd into these Dacs in contrast to my other esoteric players and even PC streaming. The Sony is very musical, not edgy or harsh with a full top to bottom 3D soundstage even at only 16bit 320kbps  streaming via USB to DACs.

Has anyone noticed the same. And is there anything I can do on the Sony itself  to stream native encoded formats via usb to connected DACs ? 
royston_david
The Sony will play whatever the format and resolution is.  My Sony plays all files in their native resolution.  Never heard of that problem. I use the Sony built in dac with zero problems. Don’t know about an external dac. 
I run my HAP in to a Vinnie Rossi LIO with DAC 2 module and the display always shows the native resolution of the original file (does not show bit depth though). The Sony does not upsample through the USB output ( I wish it would allow the DSD resolution upsampling option through the USB output. This is only available via analogue line outputs).

Something wierd goin' on with your setup.


Dear All...thank you very much for making time to answer my query... Really appreciate it Y’all !

However my problem still persists. I did check all the settings on Sony. And tried contacting Sony support but no response. 
I consider myself super tech in this regard and I will humbly accept anyone keen on pointing out my ignorance. I want to keep this stellar device for long because I am really enjoying the music for a change. 

Problem : When Sony usb is connected and engaged  to an external Dac the display shows 16bit 320kbps regardless of higher formats played. Even when listening to the Sony’s internal dac outputted to its own rca / xlr , the sound to my hi tech pro ears, still tells me, on blind testing that it sounds 16bit 320kbps.  And it sounds bloody marvelous In 16bit 320 kbps too after approx 300 plus hours of play. 
I am convinced the Sony is capably playing Hi-Res formats internally from its hard drive or when pulled over the network and then compressing or downsampling the formats bandwidth, to play finally in 16bit /320kbps either at its  rca / xlr or usb terminals..

My Delusion : This makes sense from an engineering point of view as compression puts let’s stress on processing, chips and cooling when working or resolving with big  hi rez formats. Compression on the fly, works the processor,  not dac and ram or bus channel outputs .  

And from Sony’s point of view as long as it sounds great even compressed  and keeps cost down with good profits then why not ? I read somewhere too on Audio-quest forums that they claim higher rez formats sound glorious when downsampled. This they do with their Dacs  Cobalt / Red / Black all maxing out at 24bit/ 96khz even though they load, analyse and process higher stream formats like MQA, Tidal, Apple, minus DSD formats.  And again to my ears the  down sampling techniques used by AudioQuest & Sony kills & thrills my ears over my other boutique units listed below in my home and recording studios. 

Audio Gear Home  : 
Preamps : Parasound JC2 / Cary SLP 05 / Jadis Reference / Naim 272 / 300Amps : Krell Evolution Monos / Naim 200 / 250 /300 Plinius SB301/ Adcom 555II
Dacs : Naim Ndac / Aurender N10 / Sony Hap Zies /  Mytek Brooklyn/ Chord Dave
Integrateds : Cary Signature / Rogue Magnum/ Naim Super Uniti 
Power Cables Supply : Shunyata Research Hydra / Audioquest Niagara’s  7000 / PsAudio
Cables : Transparent Reference XL / Audioquest Wildwood / DhLabs Reference
Speakers: Pure Audio Quintet 15 / Proac D40R / Magnepan 20.1/ Sonus Faber Elipsa